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"Bath. Now."
Ruggie barely had time to catch the orange coat before it flew into his face. His housewarden had already kicked away his shoes and now started to undress.
"Watch your aim there, buddy."
The hyena almost smirked at the glare thrown his way as Leona turned around. The rest of their classmates were probably already in their beds, exhausted after all the chaos from the last couple days outside.
Ruggie's arms were at his sides, his muscles feeling like they were on fire. His whole body still ran on the sheer adrenaline that helped him escape last night's attack. Ashton Vargas truly was a monster in human form.
"Did you lock the door?" Leona pulled off his shirt.
"Obviously." It had become a habit, after the two students officially became a couple. Wouldn't want Savanaclaw students to find out Leona was capable of romance.
The lion stalked over to the 2nd-year, his hands now on his lover's yellow sweater. "Hurry up and strip. And take that stupid visor off. Can't believe you wasted MY money on this dumb herbivore look." The hyena's eyes widened rapidly in offense to that brainless statement.
"Excuse me?!" It was times like this when Ruggie was truly reminded of how dumb his boyfriend could be in terms of understanding monetary value. Royal bloods really were disconnected from the rest of the world. Oh, to be so fortunate as to have a rich person's problems.
Leona smirked. "You heard me."
Fuck this stupid lion. And his stupid handsome face.
"I'll have you know that the material on this is-"
Ruggie suddenly squeaked as plush, warm lips descended onto his own, thick arms wrapping around him. He had to stop himself from moaning as the older beastman then started to carefully nibble at his bottom lip.
A pair of broad hands insistently pulled at his sweater, and he eventually had to relent as Leona exposed his torso to the dorm heat. He whined as the prince nosed his neck. Those hands moved south, to his waist.
Pants were untied and within seconds, both students were naked and panting against each other. Ruggie slipped his hand downwards, eager to touch that gorgeous second tail which hovered above his lover's tan knees...
He squawked in protest as Leona's hand stopped his own. "Bath. Then a long nap." The lion's voice left no room for possible dispute. The other student rolled his eyes.
"Really, babe?" Leona bristled at the nickname, but Ruggie was too exasperated to care. In the last 3 days, he had been harassed by fairies, forced to do labor, and even faced off with their coach. Fuck that man, honestly.
And worst of all, he returned home after all of that without any profit to his name. Not a single magestone was left in his pockets. And they had been right there, in those old abandoned mines... he still loathed the fact that he left that untouched stash behind. What a waste of time.
A recently failed operation like this one often left the poor hyena in a bad mood for a while. Luckily, he had a list of vices that helped get him out of his moping afterwords. Like a nice meal, or a nap with his housewarden.
Ever since he'd acquired a boyfriend, sex had been added to that modest list as well.
Leona's face scrunched up with disdain.
"We're both filthy."
"That only makes it hotter." Ruggie leaned in and nibbled at the housewarden's cheek.
He yelped as the older beastman lifted him over a muscled shoulder. "Hey!"
"We're not fucking until we wash up," Leona said tiredly as he carried his boyfriend in the direction of his room's bathing pool. "You smell like shit, by the way."
Ruggie sighed, thumping his head on his partner's warm back as he was taken away. Well, at least he tried.
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The pool water was the perfect temperature, a rather cool sensation in contrast to the savannah's heat created with the magic of the dormitory. The air smelled like peaches and lilies. Ruggie leaned against Leona while the prince carefully washed his dirty hair. The tension inside him started to fade as dirt was rubbed out of his skin.
He just basked in the peacefulness, the sound of running water so relaxing that it made him feel drowsy. The soft touches of Leona's careful fingers in his hair definitely accelerated his desire to fall asleep in the lion's arms.
"Hey. Don't sleep." Leona pinched his elbow, which then elicited a baleful stare from his boyfriend.
"Says the one who wants a snooze all the time." The hyena leaned back against his chest, letting out an annoyed huff. "What a disaster that trip was. At least our club can buy a new disc polisher now. That's about 3000 marks saved."
The housewarden rolled his eyes. "I could've ordered 10 of those polishers if the club actually needed them."
"That's not the point, dumbass." Ruggie turned his head to kiss the prince on the shoulder. "Free stuff is free stuff. Besides, we also saved our team from disbanding."
He could feel the lion's rumble reverberate down his spine. "Says the person who wanted to throw away the club for some shiny stones. Don't think I forgot that."
"Hmph. Don't remind me."
"..."
The rest of their time bathing was spent in silence, as they enjoyed the warmth of the water. Leona spoke up again after they finally got out to put on some fresh clothes around an hour later. "Throw these in the laundry."
Ruggie whined. "Why do I have to do it? The only laundry room's on the other side of the dorm!" He was ready to jump into that king-sized bed, not take another stroll.
"Don't complain." Ruggie pouted as Leona dumped their pile of camp attire into his arms, with a large bottle of expensive detergent. "Check the pockets too."
"Why?"
"Aren't you all about saving money?" The lion turned his back to the other student. "I'm sure you wouldn't like to waste a single thaumark with your cheap attitude."
The hyena stuck out his tongue. "Asshole."
The walk to the laundry room was uneventful, though he was still a little miffed at how pushy Leona was about it. Usually, it was Ruggie who had to tell him to wash his clothes after a few weeks. At least no one else was around to see him walk the halls without a shirt on.
Once he was there, he dropped the clothes on a bench and held up the yellow sweater he'd worn at camp.
It was cashmere. Pretty expensive, around 180 thaumarks. And it was all his now, since Leona said he could keep what they'd bought for the excursion with Vargas.
He smiled at the hyena outline sown into the front of the new outfit. Ruggie had pulled Leona's wallet out the first moment he'd seen it on an online catalogue. He may as well have advertised himself as a survivor. And he was proud of it and what it represented.
Who would have thought that some kid from the slums of Sunset Savanna would end up here, in a famous school for legends and Gods? It had been a path of hard work plus merciless determination, but he was here.
And he'd made friends, even if he verbally denied it all the time around others. Like Jack and Epel.
And Leona, but that's a different matter entirely.
He still remembered that winter holiday last year, when the housewarden had opted to stay over with Ruggie's family instead of at the royal palace with his kin. The lion had claimed it was only so he could avoid conversations involving his brother and nephew. Which, fair.
But that one memory of the older beastman introducing himself so seriously to his boyfriend's grandma made Ruggie suspect that he'd had ulterior motives.
Sure, life at NRC was hectic at times, and Ruggie didn't always get what he wanted in the end. But he couldn't really see himself living any other life then this one.
He gave the sweater another appraising look. Maybe he should buy another one, for his boyfriend. Outfits for couples probably weren't to his taste, but it would definitely be fun to tease Leona with the idea.
After throwing the sweater into the washing machine, he pulled his own cargo pants from the pile of dirty clothes. He sifted his fingers through a pocket and his fist came quickly to a stop as he grasped an item. It was heavy.
When he pulled it out to see, his mouth dropped open.
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Leona didn't even lift his head from the pillow when he heard the door to his chambers creak open.
Soft footsteps came up to the bed. The lion felt Ruggie tap at his shoulder. "Hey, look what I found."
"What?" Leona growled, grumpy from being roused.
The hyena pulled the giant blanket away, uncovering the beastman's prone body. The lion snarled in protest.
In Ruggie's hand was a magestone, almost as enormous as his fist. It was much bigger than the ones that Vargas had told them to retrieve from the mines as part of their camp experience. The stone shone a vibrant purple.
"It was in my pant pocket."
"Huh." The lion took the stone from him, held it up and put on a semi-interested look. "You took one back, even after all those spells you threw out at the camp? Sneaky."
"... Well-"
"Anyways, this is probably worth at least 20k marks for it." The lion put it back in the hyena's hands and patted the spot on the bed next to him. "Now put it away and how about you NOT interrupt our sleep schedule."
Ruggie was silent as he dropped the expensive stone on the nightstand next to the bed and crawled in with his annoyed lover, who lifted the blanket up in invitation.
"Is that why you lagged behind when we rescued Deuce in that old mine?" Leona rolled his eyes at Ruggie's question. "Man, we all thought you'd screw us over when you took a whole ass minute in there. You searched for this stone?"
"You're delusional."
The lion's stomach recoiled at the knowing look Ruggie gave him. Great Seven, this brat would tease him about this for at least a few MONTHS-
"Damn, I have a really good boyfriend." Ruggie chuckled at the look Leona shot him. "Getting me all the jewelry I want if I whine enough. Don't tell the others, they'll think you're a softie and Savanaclaw's reputation will tank."
"Fuck you." Despite his heated tone, he still had to smile at the laugh that came out of the hyena in response.
"Maybe later."
Leona tensed as Ruggie leaned forward a bit, placing a light kiss on the older student's nose. The hyena drew back and Leona felt the breath leave his body at the affectionate and teasing look in his eyes.
"You didn't have to do that." The housewarden felt a rush of warmth flow into his chest at those softened words. "Thanks, sweetheart."
"Don't call me that." The lion cursed as he felt his face flush at the petname. He HATED the effect they had.
His boyfriend snickered and cuddled closer. Leona simply huffed with indignation, and they felt exhaustion slowly overtake them. It had been a long few days, after all.
Finally, some peace and quiet.